There’s something interesting going on behind the scenes at Simian Squared, they’ve partnered up with Thomas Pasieka and Bjorn Hurri to bring to life a pixelated platformer, The Other Brothers, which may soon be double-jumping its way to glory. It features two brothers, who look a lot like two other video game brothers we should all know, as they jump-stomp giant rats, zombies, and the mafia to save a kidnapped damsel in distress.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Thomas Pasieka, the game’s Technical Artist & Level Designer, as well as Robert Cummings, the game’s Programmer, about what we can expect from The Other Brothers and how they plan to leave their mark in the annals of gaming history.

TechZwn: It’s nice seeing a game in the ol’ retro style – all the way from the pixel art to the “save the princess” theme. I love it. I’m curious why you chose this route though. Could you talk a bit about this?

Thomas Pasieka: Yes, as a team we all have an appreciation for those old retro titles- they hold a special place in many people’s hearts. Now, with the advances in technology and the gift of hindsight we can develop something will entertain the new generation whilst tickling the nostalgia of older gamers!

TechZwn: In terms of making a platformer, I’d imagine this is a difficult genre to approach while keeping original. How are you approaching the genre? Are you doing anything particularly original, or is this more meant to be a tribute to the classics (or both)?

Robert Cummings: While The Other Brothers does very much respect classic platform mechanics it was important to make the AI different and everything around you toss pre-concieved notions. While the graphics pay homage, the playability and AI are thoroughly modern, which further cements The Other Brothers being a stylistic choice rather than any limitations. We’ve also gone to lengths with Mode 7 emulation and shaders to further push the boundaries of it being a style choice graphically.

TechZwn: I know the game is only coming to mobile devices so far, but is there any chance we’ll see versions for PC or consoles?

Giuseppe Landolina: Actually we will be launching for Mac and PC as well as Android and iOS!

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